"If I was to take responsibility for the company for just the next one or two years, and if I was not concerned about the long-term future of Nintendo at all, it might make sense for us to provide our important franchises for other platforms, and then we might be able to gain some short-term profit," he said.

"However, I'm really responsible for the long-term future of Nintendo as well, so I would never think about providing our precious resources for other platforms at all."

Because it has hardware and software developers working together in proximity, Nintendo is able to design games that are unique to its consoles, according to Iwata.

"What I believe is that Nintendo is a very unique company, because it does its business by designing and introducing people to hardware and software - by integrating them, we can be unique. And because we have hardware and software developers in the same building, they stimulate each other," he said.

"And those kinds of conditions have enabled us to create something that no other companies can create. Those kinds of backgrounds are there behind the fact that such a number of great Nintendo franchises exist, and those great franchises always shine for people around the world."

Iwata said that Nintendo is plagued by people's high expectations and has a challenge to satisfy its fans while trying to attract potential customers.

"I would say that the people's expectations about what will come next from Nintendo is becoming higher and higher," he said. "So we are facing more challenges than ever - that's true.

"But it's nothing new for Nintendo. Nintendo is a company that has never stopped progressing, and when it comes to the fan-base, of course, we have to sustain that, but we are always trying to expand that."